Magneto-electric generator for lighting vehicles



C. F. DUFAUX.

MAGNETO ELECTRIC GENERATOR FOR LIGHTING VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I3. 1918.

1,385,1 19, Patented July 19, 1921.

Y UNITED STATES cHAaEEs FREDERIC DU-I'FAUYX, or GENEVA, S I

MAGNET Q-ELECTRIC GENERATOB FOR LIGHTING VEHICLES.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J l 19 1 2 Application filed November 13, 1918. Serial No. 262,308.

To all 10 ham it may concern:

Be it known. that I, CHARLESFREDERIG DUFAUX, a citizen 'ofSwitzerland, residing at Geneva, Canton of Geneva, in the Con federation of Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magneto-Electric Generators for Lighting Vehicles, of which the following is a specification. I

The object of the present invention is the provision of an electric current generating device for lighting lamps on bicycles, motorcycles, motor cars and other similar vehicles.

The annexed drawing illustrates my invention and several modifications thereof.

Figure 1 is a side view showing the device mounted on the front fork of a bicycle in its normal position and fitted with a head lamp and also with a terminal to be connected with a search light. I

i Fig. 2 is an end view thereof seen in the direction of the arrow 1, Fig; 1, with the device in a vertical position.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the device.

Fig. 4 is a section on line A-A in Fig.

1, showing the lower portion of the device,

and I V Fig.5 is a art of a side section of the device on line -B in Fig. 3.

The device comprises a horse-shoe magnet a (Figs. 5 allele) leaving a free space between its legs, which space is closed at the extremities of the legs by a resilient nonmagnetic metal sheet a (Figs. 1 and 5). This magnet is closedlaterally by means of two plates Z) and 6 made of aluminum and connected by a screwbolt c (Fig. 5) provided with a lock nut so as to form a dustproof casing. I

The plate 72 which is lowermost when in position on the bicycle has two ears d and al cast thereon (Fig. 3) serving to support the device. The device may be attached to the fork by a piece 6 provided with two straps c which are solidly clamped to the fork. The flange e of an angular piece 6* is attached to the piece 6 by means of a pivot bolt e and a check bolt 6 crossing an areshaped recess in the flange 6 This check bolt carries a lock nut c tightened permanently as soon as the magneto has been brought into the required radial position with regard to the felly.

A rod a: crossing the two ears d, d carries a helical spring u tending to swing the mag neto so as to cause its roller 12 to engage the felly a, while a screw 1& fixes the spring a on rod 0; and serves at the same time as a stop for limiting the play of the magneto thereby preventing the roller n from interfering with the spokes of the wheel.

Furthermore a recess z'g'is provided in the flange e of the angular piece (Fig. 2), and a pawl z" pivoted on a screw 2' carried by a lug 6* on the plate b (Fig. 1) may engage in therecess The manner of mounting the device on the cycle permits of regulating its position on the vehicle with alldesired precision. The pawl 71 will permit of checking the mag neto in its uncoupledposition; In the dewoes of this kind hitherto known the mag neto was provided with a common support which the user had to bend to shape himself, well or badly, in order to adjust the machine on the vehicle and therefore the axis of the roller was seldom placed radially with regard to the wheel which caused a breaking and a rapid wear of the pneumatic tire. i

The plate 6 is provided with a brush holder f (Fig. 4) within which there is a brush, f ofsuch length to wear for a con.- siderable time and which is maintained in position by means of aspring f lodged within thehold'er f. I

On the same plate also is fixed a spring 7 which bears against the joint cap of one of the ball bearings of the armature shaft to which reference will hereinafter be made. Atthe point A (Figi 5) is the end of a spring 7&1 which makes contact with the brush f provided with an external terminal f The brush 7 may be employed both for transmitting the current through the spring 7& to the lamp j which is the front lamp, and through a conductor attached at the terminal to another lamp carried by the vehicle.

The plate 6 is provided with an extension i forming as a bearing for the armature shaft and at the other part with a hollow cast iron cylinder j wherein is contained an electric lamp 7' (Figs. 1, 3 and 5).

The spring k is bent twice and forms an eye through which a screw passes and is i turned down in an insulating collar carried by the bolt thatconnects the two plates.

brush. It is insulated from the plate by means of a collar made of fiber surrounding it, and the upper end of the spring is bent off backward so as to enlarge the contact with the lamp.

In case it is desired to use the search light alone the bulb j may be taken temporarily out of the head lamp and placed in the search light, but both head lamp and search light may also be worked together.

The plates Z), 6 are fixed on the magnet a, and wedged by means of two shoulders Z1 inserted between the legs of the magnet, but obviously the plates might be secured in position in any equivalent way.

The shaftm is provided on its upper end with a friction roller made up of several molded rubber washers n embedded in face plates n These rubber disks are fastened on the shaft by means of the nut 92*.

In use the apparatus is first fastened at the desired height on the fork of a vehicle by means of four screws blocking the two collars and is fixed by means of the two adjusting screws which have been blocked after having made sure that the apparatus is placed radially. Then it is necessary to lift a pawl 2' located on the right side of the machine to permit the generator to swing on its base and to bring the friction roller of the generator provided at its top end into contact with the folly or rim of the wheel.

The wheel will turn the roller and rotate the armature whereby current will. be generated.

The current conductor is composed of a single spring or wire leading to one termi* nal while the other terminal is grounded in the mass of the device.

The current is taken from the armature by means of abronze ring with which the brush 7' contacts and which may serve to feed at the same time the front lamp and the lamp of the search light.

This brush is contained within a sleeve ending in a bolt with nut and lock nut, which bolt connects a flexible cable transmitting the current to one of the terminals of the search light lamp, the other terminal of which is grounded in the mass of the apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. A magneto electric generator for lighting vehicles comprising a permanent magnet, a semi-circular non-magnetic plate con necting the poles of the magnet, side plates secured to the said permanent magnet and the said semi-circular plate to form a dustproof casing, an armature shaft journaled in the said side plates and extending through the journal in one of the side plates, means carried by the armature shaft for contacting with the rim of a vehicle wheel, a rod journaled in the other side plate and upon which the generator is adapted to turn, and a spring associated with the said rod and adapted to exert a tension against the generator to maintain the means on the end of the armature shaft in contact with the rim of the vehicle wheel.

2. A magneto electric generator for lighting vehicles comprising a permanent magnet, a semi-circular nonmagnetic plate connecting the poles of the magnet, side plates secured to the said permanent magnet and the said semi-circular plate to form a dust proof casing an armature shaft journaled in the said side plates and extending through the journal in one of the side plates, an armature mounted thereon, means carried by the armature shaft for contacting with the rim of a vehicle wheel, a rod journaled in the other side plate and upon which the generator is adapted to turn, and a spring associated with the said rod and adapted to exert a tension against the generator to maintain the means on the end of the armature shaft in contact with the rim of the vehicle wheel, the first aforesaid plate being provided with a socket for a lamp bulb and connections from the armature to a terminal for one contact of a lamp bulb.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES FREDERIC DUFAUX. 

